Something Next to Normal
by ariadne melody
Summary: Short continuation of 1.20, Blood Brothers


AN: This is set during/after 1.20, Blood Brothers.

As they drove back to the Salvatore house, Elena kept looking at Stefan out of the corner of her eye. He had put his ring back on, finished the bottle of blood she had brought along with her, and still she couldn't stop worrying about him. Although the haunted look that had been in his eye had gone, he was still terribly tense and gazed listlessly out the car window. She worried about bringing him back to his house- what would Damon say to him?

"Hey," she said, trying to make her voice sound normal and upbeat. "Are you sure you're okay with going back to your place? Because if not-"

"It's fine, Elena," Stefan quietly replied.

"Oh. Okay."

After a moment he glanced at her and said, "I won't let what Damon says effect me, if that's what you're worried about."

"Can you blame me for being worried?" she let the question out of her mouth without thinking. "Sorry."

Stefan shrugged and resumed staring out the window. Elena felt frustrated- what was with this ignoring game? Just a little while ago they had kissed, sunk down to the bare ground entangled together, which she had took to meant things were well, not normal. They weren't back to normal yet. Something on the way to normal, anyways.

They were just at the end of the driveway when Elena suddenly stopped the car and turned to Stefan. "Why won't you look at me?"

Stefan countered, "Why are we stopped here?"

"Look at me, Stefan," Elena insisted, then added quietly, "Please."

Stefan turned to her, not just his face, but his whole body shifted as he replied, "Elena."

"Stefan, please." Elena was physically and emotionally exhausted. Maintaining twenty-four hour days while worrying about one's detoxing vampire boyfriend will do that. "Please don't push me away, not now."

When Stefan didn't say anything she continued, "I meant everything I said back there, Stefan. I love you- I love you so much."

Stefan sighed a little. Quietly he said, "Even after... I wouldn't blame you. If you want to... to leave me," he choked out the words. "I would understand."

"How can you even ask me that?" Elena demanded.

"I'm dangerous, you could get hurt-" he protested.

"You are not dangerous," Elena said firmly. "Stefan- I love you. I certainly do not intend to break up with you."

For the first time he met her eyes, a distant glimmer of hope there.

Elena took a breath, hoping that he wouldn't do what she was about to say. "And if you want to break up with me, well, please just get it over with."

"I," Stefan started, then stopped. Elena sat frozen, watching him. "I don't want to break up with you."

"So you're not?"

"No. So you're not?"

"No."

"Good."

Stefan slowly moved towards her, gently kissed her. She had missed this so much, not just their kisses, but just being with him, near him, able to talk to him. She rapidly wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer, their kisses turning from slow and gentle to fast, desperate. They both realized how much they had almost lost this, almost lost each other.

"I love you," Stefan murmured between kisses.

"I love you," Elena whispered back, knowing she would never get tired of saying those words to him.

Eventually they broke apart and Elena drove to the front of his house. Stefan managed to speed out of the car to open her door. While Elena rolled her eyes at his manners, she smiled as well, reaching for his outstretched hand. As they walked inside, they tightly held hands, their bodies leaning against each other.

Damon, as usual, was drinking in the living room, armed with a bottle of Scotch and idly playing Solitaire. He raised his eyebrows at the two of them and smiled as he waved a drink in the air. As much as Elena wanted to stay, protect Stefan from Damon's words, she could tell this was a time for the two of the to be alone.

"I'll be upstairs," she murmured into Stefan's ear as she squeezed his hand before darting up the stairs.

She wished she had vampire hearing. As she hurried upstairs she thought about lingering at the top of the stairs to listen to their conversation, but restrained herself. Instead she moved impatiently around Stefan's room, smoothing the covers on the bed and folding up her clothes that were draped over a small table.

As she aimlessly straightened objects on his desk, she heard a noise behind her and spun around. "Oh, Stefan," she sighed.

"Sorry."

"It's fine," she watched him as he took in the sight of his room. "I've been saying here," she said, as if to explain anything that seemed different. "I hope that's-"

"It's fine," he said, studying her. She flushed under the intense star, but enjoyed it as well.

"You guys didn't talk for very long," she noted.

"Yeah," he said as he came into the room. "He wasn't very interested in talking. Neither was I."

Elena nodded. "Can I- can I get you anything?" she asked. "Tea, water, um, blood?"

Stefan shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm just kind of tired, right now."

"Well, I'll let you-"

"Elena?" Stefan spoke very quietly, as if he was almost afraid to ask. "Please can you just- stay with me?"

"Of course," Elena smiled, crossed to him and stretched to kiss his cheek. "Do you want to shower first?"

Stefan ducked his head, which Elena took as a yes.

In the bathroom he kept his eyes on the floor while she pulled her clothing off, leaving them in a messy pile on the floor. She stepped under the hot water and sighed contentedly, expecting Stefan to step in as well. When he didn't, she rolled her eyes and gestured for him to take his clothes off. He did so slowly, and Elena briefly debated whether that was to deliberately torture her before deciding it wasn't. Holding her hand out to him, he finally stepped into the shower.

Elena grabbed the bottle of shampoo and motioned for him to duck his head.

"I can do it," he protested.

"Don't argue, okay?"

Although he rolled his eyes, Stefan listened to her, closing his eyes while she gently massaged the shampoo into his hair. It took a while for Elena to be satisfied that his hair was clean.

She watched him as he pulled a pair of sweatpants on, as if an hour-long shower hadn't allowed her enough time to stare at him. Part of it was pure love of his body, she was fully willing to admit. Part of it was out of her strong desire to not let him out of her sight.

In bed he tentatively wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered, "I love you, Elena."

God, she would never tire of hearing him saying that."I love you Stefan," she whispered back, her body shifting into a more comfortable position and became more entwined with his. She watched as his eyes closed, listened as he fell asleep. The feel of his chest against hers, his arms around hers, his face close to hers, she reveled in all of it.

She could sleep again.


End file.
